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Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Lined up

I have the next six shows lined up. In order, I will be doing costumes designs for Broadway Bound, Separation Rapid - a world premiere, Pump Boys and Dinettes - I know nothing about this show, Yankee Tavern, Fuddy Meers, and costumes and scenery for As You Like It. It's funny, I am only doing the costumes on this because no one seemed very interested in doing them. Some folks have wondered if I can do both, but I am looking forward to it! Heck, at the last two colleges I taught and designed for, I did both. At St. Mary's College of Maryland I did costumes and sets for all my shows for five years (with about three exceptions for student shows), and at Loyola, it varied. Some shows I did scenery as well as costumes, some just costumes. It is all about organization. In some ways it is preferable to do both, because you know you are not going to paint a set the same colour as the costumes.
It comes down to who is working with you. At SMC I had a really helpful TD for 4 of the 5 years I was there. We worked really well together because he was willing to try new ideas. I also had the BEST work study students (and sometimes their significant others) helping out. Without Heather Jackson, or James Yamakawa and Lisa Dalsimer (Yamakawa), some of the shows might not have worked. These folks were wonderful; they did anything I asked, made the hours fly with their music, singing and team attitude.
At Loyola it was a different situation. I had no help at all on the costumes - but for scenery I had an ATD, Michael Vogelman, who never said no, just "let's see what we can do." I remember Man of La Mancha and a set that stood two stories high, covered in foam carved to look like stone- It all had to be coated and then painted and texturized, and we put in long hours, and made a huge mess (we went through a case of Static guard just to get the foam chips off our clothes so we could go into other parts of the building without leaving a trail of "blue snow.") The students learned to paint granite looking stone. We had dust masks and ventilators, and acetone, and a great time!
I have a strong suspicion that I will be totally ready for a break by March, but right now, I am really excited. All the possibilities are still out there. I feel like a kid in a candy shop with a pocket full of money!

3 comments:

Aw, a shout-out :) I loved working in that shop so much--the atmosphere was great. I miss working in a shop sometimes. And I think I apply numerous things you taught me at SMC to every job I do. Have I told you lately that you were the best mentor ever?

How did I not remember you were working at Loyola while you were in MD? You know I have done costumes for half of their shows for the last three years?! It's a good solid mid-season job to have, and the kids are so great. Between that and the pre-closure BSF jobs, I feel like I was really following in your footsteps :)

Sounds like my winter, plowing through six shows...best of luck with all the projects!

After SMC i freelanced all over Balto and DC and was adjunct at Loyola. Busy, but such good folks. BSF was a great time. Remember Merry Wives and all the actors sweating away the pounds?? Poor Bruce! And Lewis - well I am surprised he did not melt!